Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Carcass Broth (Rich, Clear Stock)

Name: Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Carcass Broth (Rich, Clear Stock)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 10 min
Yield: Makes about 8–10 cups
Ingredients: 1 rotisserie chicken carcass (picked mostly clean), plus skin drippings from the container if you have them; 1 large yellow onion, halved (leave skin on for deeper color; rinse if dirty); 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces; 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1 small leek (optional), split and rinsed well, cut into 2-inch pieces; 4 cloves garlic, smashed (optional); 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; 2–3 sprigs thyme or parsley stems (optional); Cold water, 10–12 cups (enough to cover by about 1 inch); Salt, to taste (start with none or a small pinch)

This slow-cooker version of rotisserie chicken carcass broth delivers a deeply savory, clean-tasting stock with almost no babysitting. A brief optional roast step boosts caramelized flavor, while starting with cold water and keeping the cooker at a gentle low heat helps the broth stay clear. Use it for soups, risotto, pan sauces, or freeze in portions for fast weeknight cooking. It’s forgiving, scalable, and a perfect way to stretch every last bit of flavor from a store-bought bird.

Total time: 490 minutes

Yield: Makes about 8–10 cups

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken carcass (picked mostly clean), plus skin drippings from the container if you have them
1 large yellow onion, halved (leave skin on for deeper color; rinse if dirty)
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 small leek (optional), split and rinsed well, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, smashed (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
2–3 sprigs thyme or parsley stems (optional)
Cold water, 10–12 cups (enough to cover by about 1 inch)
Salt, to taste (start with none or a small pinch)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C. Spread the carcass (and any bones/skin) on a sheet pan and roast until deep golden and smelling toasty, 20–30 minutes.
Tip the roasted bones into the slow cooker. Pour a splash of hot water onto the sheet pan and scrape up the browned bits; add that liquid to the cooker.
Add onion, carrots, celery, (leek if using), bay leaves, peppercorns, and herbs to the slow cooker. Add cold water to cover everything by about 1 inch (usually 10–12 cups). Keep the water level below the rim so it won’t slosh.
Cook on LOW for 8–10 hours (or HIGH for 4–5 hours). You want a gentle, lazy movement—avoid a hard boil, which can make the broth taste muddy and look cloudy.
When it’s done, the broth should be golden, smell sweet and chickeny, and the bones will look pale and crumbly.
Using tongs, lift out the big bones and veggies. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a big bowl or pot. For extra clarity, strain again through a strainer lined with a damp paper towel or cheesecloth.
Taste and salt at the end. If you’re using it for soups/sauces, salt lightly; if you plan to reduce it later, keep it under-salted.
Cool quickly: set the container in an ice bath and stir until no longer steaming, then refrigerate.
After chilling, skim off the fat cap (save it for roasting potatoes or sautéing vegetables).
Use within 4 days refrigerated, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming and fragrant.

Notes

Slow cooker size: A 6- to 8-quart cooker is ideal; don’t overfill. Salt: If your rotisserie chicken was very salty, skip salting entirely until the end. For gelatin-rich broth: Add any wing tips, back bones, or leftover skin; cook on LOW the full 10 hours. To avoid bitterness: Don’t include a lot of crucifer scraps (broccoli, kale) or too many herb leaves—use stems. Food safety: Cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours; store 4 days max or freeze 3 months.